"Looking good" isn't just a concern of the young. Mature adults also want to make a good impression, and even those firmly established in long-term social relationships want to be at their best for social occasions.

Here are tips on how to avoid or cope with a flare-up that could imperil your social life.

• Be prepared. In the days before special occasions, take particular care to avoid lifestyle factors that affect your individual condition. Also be sure to use all medication as prescribed in the weeks before.

• Minimize alcoholic or hot beverages. During social occasions, take special care to minimize the potential effects of alcoholic or hot beverages, which cause flare-ups in many rosacea sufferers. To be completely safe, stick to cold, non-alcoholic drinks.

• Select foods that aren't on your list of personal risk factors. Many rosacea sufferers must avoid hot spicy foods. In addition, some foods, such as tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, contain histamine or agents that cause the release of histamine in the body, which may trigger a rosacea flare-up in certain rosacea sufferers. Taking an antihistamine about two hours before a meal will help counter the effects of these foods. Foods high in niacin, such as liver and yeast, may also bring on flushing, but an aspirin taken before a meal may help. ¹ Also, wait for thermally hot foods to cool down before eating.

• Bring along makeup. If you have a flare-up on an important day, have makeup on hand -- green-tinted liquid foundation for general coverage to conceal redness, or a thicker flesh-colored formulation for spot application to completely cover bumps or pimples.